Businesses participating (as of September 2018) in the Tevi programme, award winners of the Cornwall Sustainability Awards (2004-17) and Cornwall Tourism Awards (2018 only). Click on marker for further information.
Important: The habitats and estimates of key ecosystem services presented here are calculated on the basis of 2015 landcover data.
What does the map show?
The ‘nature network’ map shows those areas of Cornwall, currently excluded from statutory protection, that are considered the most valuable in terms of their existing biodiversity, habitats, connectivity and provision of key ecosystem services. Three prioritization classes can be viewed, which correspond to the most valued 5, 10 and 20% of currently non-protected land.
Prioritization methodology
Prioritization bands derive from a ranking of all areas outside of statutory protection. The methodology ranks areas based on their biodiversity value and their provision of ecosystem services, while also accounting for key constraining or facilitating factors that could affect the value of these benefits.
Rankings are assigned using Zonation methodology (REF), which has been widely used for land use and conservation planning. The methodology allows the relative weighting of different indicators of biodiversity value, ecosystem services and other factors while inherently accounting for the value of habitat connectivity. The approach is shaped around a methodology which allows easy updating/replacement of underlying data layers, adjustments to the perceived importance of different services, and can be applied to different spatial areas and scales.
Notes on the use and interpretation of maps
It is important to recognize some key aspects of the map and the underlying methodology by which it as generated:
Valid potential applications include:
1. Define area for prioritization
Whole of Cornwall mainland at a resolution of 100m2.
2. Define irreplaceable habitats & existing protected areas:
These areas define the underlying network of habitats that are taken as ‘given’ and inform habitat area and connectivity benefits:
3. Select biodiversity indicators
The relative importance of different habitats and other indicators of biodiversity are selected and weightings applied according to a judgement of their importance and the reliability of the data.
3a. Habitat types & features
3b. Species presence or distributions
3b. Non-statutory designations based on biodiversity value
4. Ecosystem services
Each service is given a weighting to describe the relative importance ascribed to different ecosystem services and the reliability of the underlying data informing their calculation. The following key ecosystem services are estimated:
Estimation of these services requires an assessment of the ‘demand for’ or ‘risk’ associated with each service (eg areas susceptible to flooding), as well as of service provision. Areas ‘at risk’ and areas of service provision are often spatially distant.
5. Facilitating factors
Factors that could facilitate the delivery and/or protection of existing assets and services are given a positive weighting reflecting their relative importance.
6. Constraint factors Factors that could constrain the delivery and/or protection of existing assets and services are given a negative weighting according to their relative importance. A high negative weighting will ensure a low ranking is assigned to those areas to which the constraint factor applies.
7. Additional layers for inclusion in visualisation but not analysis
Additional information layers are included to provide context for the analysis but do not affect prioritization. Such factors are given a zero weighting in the analysis. Such factors include administrative boundaries and the AONB.
Note: Integrating ecosystem services dependent upon accessibility
The provision of some ecosystem services depends on access / visitation to greenspace including a range of cultural/recreational/health benefits. Accessibility, however, can be detrimental to the value of other services including biodiversity, noise or soil loss mitigation.
Some simple options to reflect aspects of accessibility include:
Prioritization of woodland creation opportunities on the basis of estimates of benefits associated with improved habitat area, connectivity and ecosystem services provided. Existing protected urban, woodland, quarries/claypits and protected areas are excluded from consideration, and results consider constraints affecting likely success and costs of implementation. The top twenty percent most highly ranked/valued oppoortunity areas are shown in three bands: Band1 = top 5%, Band 2= 5-10%, Band 3= 10-20%. Resolution = 100m2. Click top right icon on map to select layers.
What does the map show?
The ‘woodland opportunity’ map ranks areas according to the potential benefits of woodland creation. Three prioritization classes can be viewed, which correspond to the most beneficial 5, 10 and 20% of currentlypotential woodland sites.
Prioritization methodology
Prioritization bands derive from a ranking of all potential areas of woodland creation that are not excluded in advance (such as urban or existing woodland areas). The methodology ranks areas based on potential benefits in habitat connectivity and increased provision of ecosystem services, while also accounting for key constraining or facilitating factors that could affect the value, or likelihood of realising, these benefits.
Rankings are assigned using Zonation methodology (REF), which has been widely used for land use and conservation planning. The methodology allows the relative weighting of different factors while inherently accounting for the benefits of habitat connectivity. The approach is shaped around a methodology which allows easy updating/replacement of underlying data layers, adjustments to the perceived importance of different services, and can be applied to different spatial areas and scales.
Notes on the use and interpretation of maps
It is important to recognize some key aspects of the map and the underlying methodology by which it as generated:
Valid potential applications include:
1. Identify all areas to exclude from woodland creation:
Identify areas not to be considered for woodland creation, such as urban areas, existing woodland or protected areas etc. Information on excluded areas will still inform the assessment of, for example, habitat connectivity benefits. All remaining areas are treated as potential woodland creation areas.
2. Identify ‘constraining’ factors:
Constraints are factors that are likely to reduce likelihood, or increase the cost, of realising woodland benefits, including current or high suitability for competing land use. Factors might include topographical constraints such as wind exposure, high grade agricultural land and percent building cover. Although not entirely excluded from consideration these factors are given a negative weighting in the analysis. A high negative weighting will ensure a low ranking is assigned to those areas to which the constraint factor applies.
3. Identify ‘facilitating’ factors:
Factors that will increase the likelihood, or lower the cost, of realising the benefits of wood creation opportunities. For example, steep slopes could be considered a facilitating factor as they can restrict alternative land uses, particularly agriculture. Each factor will be given a positive weighting in the analysis. Such factors are likley to include:
4. Identify and estimate the relative value of woodland “benefits”:
Each benefit will be assigned a positive weighting. The calculation of benefits will generally involve an estimation of both the demand for, and the potential provision of the benefit from woodland creation although the methodologies for doing so vary between different types of benefit. These include habitat connectivity and area:perimeter benefits, as well as potential increases to ecosystem services from woodland creation.
5. Prioritization of “woodland creation opportunities”:
Analysis is undertaken through the Zonation methodology with the assigned ranking determining the prioritization band assigned to each ‘cell’. The Zonation methodology accounts for potential benefits to habitat connectivity. Zonation parameters will also determine the relative importance assigned to, for example, areas with a high single or rare benefit and those where woodland creation is likely to produce multiple benefits.
This section is currently UNDER DEVELOPMENT
Some sort of explanation and/or legend could be placed here, perhaps including links to a methodology document etc?